Holiday gift shopping is in full swing; here are some thoughtful ideas on selecting useful gifts for pets with an eye towards training, behavior, and management. Toys are best. The right ones last a long time and provide behavioral insurance against boredom and destructive chewing. Kong toys and Buster Cubes fall into the behavior category, because they are interactive toys. They provide mental stimulation and exercise with or without humans being present. The rest of the suggestions are toys that can be used during training and just for the fun of it.

Kong toys come in a variety of shapes and sizes. The Kong toy itself is a red rubber three-tiered toy that is hollow. When tossed, it bounces in all different directions creating an interesting retrieving game. Its hollow center is invaluable. You can stuff Kongs with dog food or treats using a little peanut butter or cheese to hold it all in place. Dogs will be able to get the first layer of food out due to the shape of the Kong, and can't get the rest. Since they know the food is in there, they continue to try for hours, creating a good chew toy habit. Kongs are great for dogs who are teething, get bored easily, chew inappropriate items, have mild separation anxiety or show minimal interest in toys. The Kong Company provides a handout on Kong stuffing. Other available toys from this company include the Cool Kong (floatable Kong with a rope for land or water retrieving), the Dental Kong, the Original Kong (black rubber tougher than the red ones), and the new Biscuit Ball. They also make Kitty Kongs for cats and Kong Jawrobeaks for birds.

The Buster Cube is a plastic toy with a removable piece in the center that you load with dog food or treats. The food is released when the dog begins to actively move the toy around. The dog's sense of smell is engaged as they use this to help them solve the problem and gain the reward. Buster Cubes come in large and small sizes.

Other toys to consider are Wiggly Giggly Balls; they make a giggling sound when you wiggle them. Dogs find the noise quite entertaining. Glow Balls (they glow once they're moved) are great for night-time retrieving. Cotton Rope toys come in so many new varieties; knotted on each end, with balls in the center or on either end, in a figure eight design. Mop Pets are stuffed plush squeak toys in the shape of animals with cotton ropes as their arms and legs. Soft frisbees made with a fabric center and a rope ccreating the edge, make both throwing and catching easy. All of these toys are readily available at local pet stores.

Dogs should have a good variety of toys. The key to maintaining interest in all the toys is to rotate them. Let's say your dog has 15 toys. Give him 5 - 7 of them for a week. At the end of the week remove, clean, and store away these toys. Bring out 5 - 7 new ones and he'll think he's the luckiest dog on earth. The toy are brought in and out of rotation, keeping the dogs' interest keen. The only exception to this would be the Kong, let your dog have this one often. We want to reinforce appropriate chewing, and the Kong is a self-reinforcing toy.

Giving food treats is another great gift idea. Natural treats containing no artificial preservatives are preferred, and can be found in local pet stores and at the bakeries mentioned in the November issue of Chipawgo! Fun toys for the dog lovers are also available. I like to promote things to do with your dogs. Take A Bow Wow!: Fun and Functional Dog Tricks and Bow Wow, Take 2 are two videos that are loaded with a collection of frivolous and functional dog tricks. Both are based on positive reinforcement training and are fun for everyone. My Dog Can Do That! is a board game you play with your dog. The game is for 1 to 4 players and offers beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels. It provides an entertaining, fun, dog-friendly approach to motivate and play-train your dog. These can be ordered from Dogwise at 1-800-776-2665.

Dogs love to unwrap presents. Take a lot of pictures and supervise this carefully so they don't eat the wrappings. Pets are part of the family, it's only natural that they be included in holiday plans. Have a happy, healthy, and safe holiday season.